Leadership

Security failures and questionable business practices are among the latest bad news afflicting Facebook. Marriott, Starbucks, and Uber are other cases of companies that have been in crisis communication mode lately.

These high-profile cases are a timely reminder that business crisis situations, whether they’re the result of questionable executive judgment, cyber attacks, industrial accidents, or natural disasters, are the ultimate leadership challenge.

Intense public scrutiny and 24/7 media coverage mean that leaders’ actions and – even more importantly – their reactions are both high-stakes and high-visibility.

Indeed, how leaders react to a crisis can make the difference between successfully navigating through turbulent times and crashing on the rocks. Individual and organizational reputations are on the line.

But here’s the rub: When leaders and their board directors are under pressure, they – like all people – are at greater risk of behaving in ways that are defensive and maladaptive. Let’s take a look at the most common ineffective responses to crisis situations.

Today’s headlines are replete with words like “disruptor” and “reformer” in describing the behavior of high profile leaders.

But how does a leader prevent change from becoming chaos? Or reform from prompting revolt?

She needs to be a High Definition Leader (HD Leader) and surround herself with a top-flight team that also possesses HD Leader qualities and capabilities.

THE PAST AS PROLOGUE

I first discussed High Definition Leadership almost a decade ago when we were in the depths of the Great Recession. Back then most of my CEO and director clients faced unprecedented business and personnel challenges. Uncertainty and fear reigned amidst economic contraction and red ink.

I urged them to lead in “high definition” as a way of keeping their stakeholders engaged and focused during turbulent times.

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” – Marcel Proust

With more than half of the year over and the summer zipping by, let’s take a fresh look at why you don’t need to take a break from work:

You think you’re indispensable. No one can fill your shoes, or hold down the fort in your absence. Even with all the available technologies that can keep you in touch with the office – and them with you – your physical presence is essential to keep disaster and mayhem from occurring.

Fresh ideas and perspective are immaterial to your ongoing success. Who needs a refresher period to spark creativity when you can bask in the comfort of same-old, stale thinking?

Others might slack off in your absence. You wouldn’t want to be a role model for anything other than a strong work ethic.

You have no personal life. Workaholism is a strategy for filling a void or avoiding challenges or dysfunctions in the rest of your life.

I could go on, but I think you get my tongue-in-cheek point.

Just as athletes need to alternate performance with rest periods for optimum results, smart professionals realize that vacations are critical to maintaining their competitive and creative edge at work.

The alternative is a loser’s game, maybe not in the short-term, but definitely in the long run: burnout, subpar decision quality, and decreased innovation and motivation. Don’t delude yourself into thinking otherwise.

“Yes, but…”

A refrain I hear all too often from executives is: “Yes, I really want some down time, but there is simply no end to the incoming demands and issues I have to tackle.”

If this is your day-to-day reality, consider it a red flag that you are spread too thin and your situation is unsustainable.

Corrective action is needed. Often this involves structural changes in roles and responsibilities, delegating to others, or adding personnel.

If you have a history of not taking vacations, canceling planned vacations or scaling back vacation time after the fact, consider these as warning signs that something is amiss with your attitude and/or actual work responsibilities or performance. A compulsive workaholic organizational culture can also be at fault.

If you are a leader or senior decision maker, it’s important that you set the tone for vacation time by your own example. Individual, team and organizational productivity will benefit over the long-term and promote sustainable success.

If you’ve been in the workplace for any period of time, you’ve probably encountered someone who fits the description of a Productive Narcissist. In fact, you might have even hired the person yourself, unaware that certain personality traits would turn your star performer into a costly management “black hole.”

Remember when electronics giant Samsung was in the headlines for all the wrong reasons in 2016? Its Galaxy Note 7 smartphone overheated and caught fire, creating a safety hazard for owners.

After more than a month of product malfunctions, failed replacement phones, and furious customer complaints, the U.S. Consumer Safety Board forced Samsung’s hand. The Korean-based company announced a total product recall , killing production of the Note 7 altogether. Samsung took a significant earnings hit that year.

Cases like this remind us that leaders may need to react to any number of crises – man-made or natural – that deal with stakeholder or public safety and well-being.